--- title: "Billionaire Warren Buffett's Estranged Granddaughter Says He Paid For College But Nothing More, Not Even A Futon 'You Know What The Rules Are'" type: "News" locale: "zh-HK" url: "https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/274835108.md" description: "Nicole Buffett, granddaughter of billionaire Warren Buffett, revealed that while he funded her college education, he refused to provide further financial support, including for basic needs like a futon. Their relationship soured after she appeared in a documentary discussing wealth inequality, leading Warren to disown her. Despite the estrangement, Nicole has continued her career as an artist, emphasizing self-reliance and independence. Today, she remains active in her art, while Warren's wealth has grown significantly, reflecting his frugal lifestyle and beliefs about wealth distribution." datetime: "2026-02-04T15:01:10.000Z" locales: - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/274835108.md) - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/news/274835108.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/274835108.md) --- > 支持的語言: [简体中文](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/news/274835108.md) | [English](https://longbridge.com/en/news/274835108.md) # Billionaire Warren Buffett's Estranged Granddaughter Says He Paid For College But Nothing More, Not Even A Futon 'You Know What The Rules Are' **Nicole Buffett**'s last name opened doors — but it also slammed one shut. In a 2008 Marie Claire profile, the then 32-year-old artist from Berkeley, California, shared the story of how her grandfather, **Warren Buffett**, disowned her. Yes, that Warren Buffett — the famously frugal investing legend whose fortune had just eclipsed $58 billion at the time, making him the richest man in the world. Nicole, an abstract painter with a self-described "granola" lifestyle, said Buffett paid for her college education but made it clear that was the limit. When she called to ask if he might help cover a futon for her off-campus apartment, his office reportedly replied, "You know what the rules are: school expenses only." **Don't Miss:** - **The AI Marketing Platform Backed by Insiders from Google, Meta, and Amazon — Invest at $0.85/Share** - **Americans With a Financial Plan Can 4X Their Wealth — Get Your Personalized Plan from a CFP Pro** She wasn't asking for a private jet or a penthouse. In fact, Nicole told Marie Claire she didn't even know how wealthy her grandfather was until high school, when her classmates swarmed her after he appeared on the cover of Forbes. "I called my dad," she said, "and he said, ‘Yeah, Grandpa is going to be getting a lot more press… but we'll be living our lives the same way and doing what we always do.'" Nicole was adopted by Warren's son **Peter** when she was four, after her mother, a singer-songwriter, married into the Buffett family. Nicole and her twin sister were treated as part of the family—at least for a time. She recalled visiting her grandfather's Omaha, Nebraska home, spending holidays at his Laguna Beach, California compound, and receiving a $100 bill from his wallet when she was five. She also remembered a moment when he quietly told her he was proud of her artwork. "It was a big deal for me," she told Marie Claire. **Trending: This ETF issuer isn't chasing the index — it's building tools for income, leverage, and conviction** ## The Documentary That Changed Everything But the family dynamic shifted after Nicole appeared in "The One Percent," a documentary about wealth inequality directed by **Jamie Johnson**, heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune. Nicole spoke candidly in the film about feeling excluded from the Buffett legacy, saying she'd been fortunate to have her education covered but felt distanced from any larger role in the family's financial life. She hadn't given Warren a heads-up. In the same Marie Claire interview, Nicole said that her appearance in the film triggered a sharp response from Warren. He sent her a letter stating, "I have not emotionally or legally adopted you as a grandchild, nor have the rest of my family adopted you as a niece or a cousin." The letter was signed "Warren." She told Marie Claire that just a year earlier, she still had a card signed "Grandpa." That same year, Nicole also spoke to Reuters, telling the outlet, "My grandfather is a very private man, and I decided to share what it's like to be his granddaughter, and it created a huge estrangement from him to the extent that he disowned my twin sister and myself." **_See Also: Motley Fool's analysts have built a new lineup of passive ETFs — explore which "Foolish" strategy fits your investment goals._** ## No Inheritance, No Apologies She said she was devastated—but not defeated. Nicole kept painting, kept working, and kept her distance. She earned around $40,000 a year, supplemented by work at a San Francisco boutique. Some of her art sold for as much as $8,000, and her collectors included **Shirley Temple**'s daughter and a Hollywood effects guru. One of her signature techniques involved leaving unfinished canvases outside to see what the elements would do. "I like to see what happens," she told Marie Claire. There were no payouts, no inheritance, no reality shows. While Warren later sent holiday checks to some of his grandchildren—apparently softening his no-freebies policy—Nicole said she was not included. "And probably he's rewarding them for behaving," she said in the profile. Still, she told Marie Claire she'd learned something from the whole ordeal: self-reliance. "Grandpa taught me that, and it has set the tone for my life." Today, nearly 20 years after that Marie Claire profile, Nicole is still painting. According to her Instagram, she continues to create and exhibit new work. Meanwhile, Warren Buffett's net worth has soared to over $142 billion. He still lives in the same Omaha house he bought in 1958, still advocates for high taxes on the wealthy, and still believes that children of billionaires should make their own way. Nicole did. Estranged or not, she never stopped being a Buffett—just not the kind that came with dividends. **Read Next: This investment firm leverages expert insights and a $1.85 billion track record to help accredited investors capitalize on 2026 multifamily market trends—read the full forecast now.** _**Image: Shutterstock**_ ### 相關股票 - [Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/quote/BRK.A.US.md) - [Berkshire Hathaway B (BRK.B.US)](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/quote/BRK.B.US.md) ## 相關資訊與研究 - [Warren Buffett says avoiding risk could be your biggest mistake—here’s why](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/281360706.md) - [Warren Buffett teams up with NBA superstar Stephen Curry for charity lunch, reviving iconic auction](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/281182480.md) - [Warren Buffett Bet Big On Oil In Q4: Here's How Much Berkshire Hathaway Is Up On Chevron Stock In 2026](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/281213097.md) - [Warren Buffett Says He'd Buy 'A Whole Lot' Of Apple If It Gets Cheaper— And He's Not Losing Sleep Over Cashing Out $100 Billion Stake](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/281202027.md) - [Loreto Manolo Zamora Discloses Investment at Kraft Heinz with 10% Stake](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/news/281662184.md)